Vehicle.



G. W. MYERS. VEHICLE.'

APPLICATION FILED OCT. I2. 1916.

Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

i la

u attorney G. W. MYERS.

VEHICLE.

APPLxcATIoN man ocr. 12. 1.916.

.La Patented 061. 16, 1917.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

nr. sra'rs earns ein.

vnnioiin.

intense.,

Specification of Letters IPatent.

Patented Oct. 16, 1911*?.

Application led October 12, 1916l Serielle. 125,278.

Toalla/171.0721, it may concern.'

Be it known that l, GEORGE Mir-nas, a citizen of the United States, residingv at Philadelphia, in the county ot Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania., havev invented certain new and useful Improvements in- Vehicles, of which they followingis` a speci.- lisation.

My invention consists of an improved. vehicle andi is. particularly serviceable as. a drop-bottoni dump cart orY wagon. i

@ne object of my inventiony is to-pnovide a vehicle oi!l the above. described type with a frame or= chassis which is madev inone piece and provides a support for axles and bodyy portion without the inclusion, oil any nicinbers that wouldf prevent free yi'alliingg space for the material carried thereby.

Another object is to so construct my iin. proved 'vehicle that it will bestrong anddiinable andy can be used as a tractor or trailer or as an oiidinary'cart orwagon.

still further object of my invention.y is

to` prow-*idle a vehicle of: the above described class whicliniay be quicklyand easily manu.- facturedr and assembled` and can be produced at a reasonably low cost.

rlhese objects, and other advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, l attain in, the following. manner, reference being had toX the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a sidey elevation of my improved vehiclemade in the form of a drop-y bottcm dump cart and used: as a trailer or tractor iny connection withv another vehicle which.A supplies the motive power.

Fig. 2 is a plan view ot Fig. 1 with a: portion of said motivev power supplying; vehicle cut away.

Fig. is any enlarged sectional elevation talienon the line a-ct of Fig. 2;

Fig. et is a perspective view ofmyy iinP proved traine orchassis.

Figs. 5 andf` 6 areV respectively plan and longitudinal sectional` elevation views of pivotal connecting means which l preferably employ when. usingvv my improved@ vehicle as a trailer.

Fig. T is a section on the line b-b ot Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary section through a spring-supporting clip adjacent therear ot the vehicle and taken oni the line o o of Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is, an. enlaruged fragmentary section through one of the forward spring-supportingj clips andtahen on the line Ze-Z of Fig. 1f.

`Fig. 10-is. a fragmentary longitudinal,sec-A tion. taken` on, the line .efe of. Fig. 2, through. one of the drop-bottom plates of the vehicle.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view-of one of the axles which l employ.

Fig. 12 is asideelevation of. my improvedvehiole when used as awagon having 'forward: and. rear wheels.

Fig. liisa side elevation ofA my invention illustrating a fifth. wheel connection. which.r is` applicable to be connected tov the topy of the rear end ot aveliicle. suchv tor example as. an automobile.

Fig. ll is a fragmentaryI plan. elevation ol:l the fifth. wheelstructure shown. in Fig. 13.

Referring tothe drawings, 1 isthe. body portion which. includes a. frame 2 which. is made. of a single piece ot cast steel. This traine has side rails, 3Y which are sub1. stantially parallel and are.connected by, fon, wards and. transverse integral'webs il and` 5 and {votiva-rd; bars. 6 which are spaced apart as clearliyshown. in Fig.v 2.

lhe inner surtaces ofthe rails 3 and bars l and 5.. are inadeplain. andI tree of obstructions wli-ieh would, interfere with, theV dump.- ing. ot the material', saidv rails andg sides. torming the foundation to f which aresecured side boards 7 andtail and` front boards Stand respectively.

The rails 3a have ribs 10; which extend:r to` oppositeends theiieoi and within the lengthl oi said; ifa-ils intersect large bossesY 11, said bosses being.V substantially vertical and curved. in) cross section. rlfhese bosses?r blend; at their upper portion into angular exten-v sions 12, said extensions being backed by upwardly extending triangular projections 13, said bosses, extensions, and triangular pro. jections being cast integral,l with the. rails 3. The extensions. 12 and bosses 11 have.

angulan holes 14 which form slideeways; for` upwardly extending portions 15 on axles 16, said upwardlyl extending portions 15 being angulanin cross section (see Figs. 2 and 11),

said: axles` forming the support for theI wheels.` 117.

Half elliptical springs 18 havetheir lower surface in engagement with. the upper por tionofV the axlesT 16v (see Figs. 1, 2, andi S);

and: are vheld thereto, byf U'fshapedI bolts.v 19

siirtacesy of said springs. and. embracek the which engage platesy Q0 which abut tlieupper upright portions l5 of the axles. @ne end of each of said springs is secured to clips 2l which are bolted to the side flanges l0 of the rails 3, while the other ends of said springs are designed to slide between clips which are also secured to said flanges l0. Plates 23 and 24 form the bottom of the vehicle and are hinged at yto opposite inner surfaces of the rails 3. This hinge connection between the plates and 24 and the side rails 3 yincludes members which are secured to the side boards 7 and have hooked lower'ends 28 (see Fig.3`) which slide through openings 29 in said latter plates.

The edge portions 30 of said plates extend through slots 3l in pipes 32, and the pipes are partially enveloped by the hooked ends 28 of the members 26. The hooked ends 28 are of sufficient length to prevent the pipes from becoming disengaged therefrom, and the fact that said hooked ends 28 pass through the slots 29, prevents longitudinal movement of said plates 23 and 24. A strong hinge connection is thus provided which is extremely serviceable and durable.

Each of the plates 23 and 24 has a bar 33 on itsunder surface adjacent the meeting edges 34. Each of these bars 33 has a longitudinally extending concavity or groove and is provided adjacent its middle with a depending swell 35.

Chains and 37 are employed to raise the bottom plates 23 and 24 into the positions illustrated and these chains are designed to pass under idler rollers 38 and 39 (see F ig. l0) and within the concavity of said bars The rear end of each of the chains and 37 after passing around the idler 39, extends upwardly and is connected to a projecting ear 40 on the rear transverse web 5.

The forward end portions of the chains 36 and 37 after passing around the idlers 38, pass upwardly through an eyelet 4l in an ear 42 formed on the forward transverse web 4. The free forward ends of said chains 36 and 37 are connected to a winding roll 43 which has its opposite ends j ournaled in the side rails 3.

The roll 43 is provided with a ratchet 44r and a lever 45 has a pawl 46 which engages said ratchet when `manually operated to rotate the roll 43 and thereby draw said chains 36 and 37 taut and consequently raise the bottom plates 23 and 24.

A detent pawl 47 is pivotally connected to one of theside rails 3 and is designed to engage theratchet 44 and hold the bottom plates 23 and 24 in their raised position; however, when the detent pawl 47 is released, the weight of the plates 23 and 24` and the contents of the vehicle causes said plates to open downwardly by gravity and thereby discharge the contents of the vehicle. To again raise said bottom plates, lever 45 is lever 45, the ratchet engaging portion of the oscillated toVV intermittently turn the ratchet 44, said detent 47 acting to prevent back movement of said ratchet during the inoperative portion of the movement of said V detent 47 being heavier and acting to overbalance the opposite end 48 of said detent.

rl"he forward end of the frame 2 is provided with inwardly extending side flanges 49, and these side flanges forma support for an upper transom beam 50 (see Figs. l, 2, 5, 6, and 7). The beam 50 has, centrally within its length, a depending sleeve 5l which provides a recess 52. An elongated hole or slot 53 is formed in said beam 50 and communicates with the recess 52. The length of the slot 53 extends in the direction ofthe length of said vehicle and is designed to register with a Vsubstantially simlar slot 54 Ywhich is formed centrally within the length of a lower, transom beam 55, the latter being designed to be secured to the frame or chassis 56 of another vehicle. The slot 54 also extends through a circular lug 57 which ex-V tends upwardly yand lits within ysaiderecess 90 52, `said lug 57 being of slightly smaller diameter thanthe recess 52 and has its uppermost surface convex in vorder to form a knuckle joint with said beam 50.

A king bolt 58 extends through the slots 53 and 54, said king bolt ,having a resilient backing in the form ofa strong expansion spring 59 which normally holds the lug 57 in Contact withV the beam 50, but permits a slight separating movement therebetween to compensate for the diierences in the level of the road over which the vehicles may travel.

lt will be further noted that by the pro vision of the slots 53 and 54, it is possible for the beamsO and 55 to assume angular' 1o positions with respect to each other in the direction of their widths. rihe rear of the frame 2 is provided with rear supporting flanges 60 to which, if desired, may be attached a beam similar to the beam 50, so that 110 one or more of my improved vehicles may be linked in tandem.

ln Fig. l2 i have shown my'improvedvehicle in the form of a wagon having in addition to the wheel 17 above described, front 115 wheels 6l which are supported by a structure 62 having a front axle 63 thereon,l said structure 62 includingra fifth wheel 64 which is pivotally connected to the supporting bars 6, l thus dispense with the device illus- 120 trated in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, and substitute in lieu thereof the fifth wheel 64. In all other respects the construction is similar to that abovedescribed and I have therefore given the same like reference numerals,

InFig.. 13, I have shown my improved vehicle as a trailer including a fifth wheel 65 which is pivotally. connected to the rear of an automobile 66.

A vehicle constructed in accordance with 130 my invention provides a strong frame without any transverse members or axles which extend in the space through which the material is dumped, since the frame provides ample support in its side rails and bosses for the axles, the springs providing sufficient resiliency.

The provision of the bars 33 and their chain connection insures that the bottom plates and 24 come to a positive closing position, thus rendering the vehicle particularly serviceable for use in construction work in cities where it is desirable to prevent the accidental falling of dirt upon the streets.

Furthermore, the construction of the bosses ll and the triangular projections 13, together with the side rails l0 and cross members above described, provides a frame which is fully capable of supporting an extremely heavy load.

While I have described the members 7, S, and 9, as side boards, it will be understood that they may be made of sheet metal, wood, or other suitable material.

While I have described my invention as taking a particular form, it will be unders^,od that the various parts of my invention may be changed without departing from the spiritthereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A vehicle including a frame having upright holes therein providing slidcways, axles having substantially horizontal wheelsupporting portions and upwardly extending portions slidably fitting said slideways, securing plates, springs supported on said horizontal portions of the axles and mounted below said plates, a plurality of U-shape securing members arranged at opposite edges of each of said springs and having their free ends extending through and secured to said plates and their looped portions passing around the bottoms of said axles, and means for holding the springs in supporting engagement with the frame, substantially as described.

2. A vehicle including a frame having upright holes therein providing slideways, axles having substantially horizontal wheelsupporting portions and upwardly extending portions slidably litt-ing said slideways, springs supported on said horizontal portions of the axles, plates on said springs, clamping means for securing the plates to the axles, means for holding the springs in supporting engagement with the frame, said plates having portions embracing the upright portions of the axles, substantially as described.

3. A. vehicle including a metallic frame having oppositely disposed bosses, said bosses having upright holes therein providing angular slideways, axles having substantially horizontal wheel-supporting portions and upwardly extending angular portions designed to slide within said slideways,said frame including side ribs extending longitudinally thereof, springs resting on the axles between the horizontal portions and the side ribs, and means for holding the springs in engagement with the frame, substantially as described. y

4. A vehicle including a metallic frame having oppositely disposed bosses, said bosses having upright holes therein providing angular slide-ways, axles having substantially horizontal wheel-supporting portions and upwardly extending angular portions designed to slide within said slideways, said frame including side ribs intersecting said bosses, springs resting on the axles between the horizontal portions and the side ribs, and means for holding the springs in engagement with the frame, substantially as described.

5. A vehicle including a metallic frame cast in one piece and including oppositely disposed bosses, saidbosses having holes therein providing angular slide-ways, axles having upwardly extending angular portions designed to slide within said slide-ways, said frame including side ribs intersecting said bosses, springs secured to said axles, clips secured to said side ribs of the frame and securing the ends of said springs, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE W. MYERS.

Witnesses:

RHODA E. GriLLrEs, CEAS. E. Po'r'rs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

